Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparapibra’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sunparapibra’, characterized by its upright and vining plant habit; relatively small glossy foliage; freely flowering habit; light pink-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunparapibra’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunparapibra’.

The new Mandevilla is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Mandevilla hybrida cultivar Sunmandecrim, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539. The new Mandevilla was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of the cultivar Sunmandecrim in a controlled environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in August, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in Leimuiderbrug, The Netherlands, since August, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sunparapibra have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunparapibra’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunparapibra’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and vining plant habit.     -   2. Relatively small glossy foliage.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the parent, the cultivar Sunmandecrim, in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunmandecrim have red-colored flowers. In addition, leaves of plants of the new Mandevilla are darker green in color than leaves of plants of the cultivar Sunmandecrim.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevilla cultivar Sunparabeni, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently, and the Mandevilla cultivar Sunparavel, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the cultivars Sunparabeni and Sunparavel in flower color.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of the Mandevilla cultivar Sunmandecos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,202. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants of the cultivar Sunmandecos in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter leaves than plants         of the cultivar Sunmandecos.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Sunmandecos.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the cultivar Sunmandecos         differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunparapibra’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and flower buds of ‘Sunparapibra’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan for about four months. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida cultivar Sunparapibra. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Mandevilla     hybrida cultivar Sunmandecrim, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     15,539. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 40 days at             23° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Perennial. Upright and vining plant habit. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 200 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 200 cm. Diameter:             About 2.8 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm to 20 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Young:             144A. Mature: N199C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Rounded to cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 146D. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 147A; venation, 145A. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 137C; venation, 145C.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.4 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             racemose; flowers face mostly outwardly. Flowers not             persistent. Freely flowering habit, about five flowers per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; early             summer to late autumn in Japan; flowering continuous during             this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.6 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             five-parted; petals imbricate; flowers roughly star-shaped.             Diameter: About 7.8 cm. Depth (length): About 7.1 cm. Throat             diameter: About 1.9 cm. Tube length: About 5.6 cm. Tube             diameter, base: About 4 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Lenticular. Color: 62D.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate. Petal             length: About 3.7 cm. Petal width: About 2.8 cm. Petal             shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Acuminate. Petal margin:             Entire, slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening,             upper surface: 65C overlain with 63A in a brush-like             pattern; spots at throat, close to 63A. Petal, when opening,             lower surface: Between 65B and 65D. Petal, fully opened,             upper surface: 65C overlain with 63B in a brush-like             pattern; spots at throat, close to 63A; color becoming             closer to N155C with development. Petal, fully opened, lower             surface: Between 65B and 65D. Tube: 62D; towards the base,             close to N34A. Throat: 28A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower in a single             whorl; fused. Length: About 7.4 mm. Width: About 2.3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature,             upper and lower surfaces: 144C; towards the apex, 181C.             Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: 144C; towards the             apex, 181C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement:             Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,             connivent. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther size: About 8 mm             by 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 18B. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155B. Pistils: Quantity:             Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Stigma shape:             Conical. Stigma color: 144C. Style color: 145C. Ovary color:             144B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 4° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparapibra’ as illustrated and described. 